18) The teaching about the cross is foolishness to those who are being lost, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19) It is written in the Scriptures: "I will cause the wise to lose their wisdom; I will make the wise unable to understand."
20) Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where is the skilled talker of this world? God has made the wisdom of the world foolish.
21) In the wisdom of God the world did not know God through its own wisdom. So God chose to use the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe.
22) The Jews ask for miracles, and the Greeks want wisdom.
23) But we preach a crucified Christ. This causes the Jews to stumble and is foolishness to non-Jews.
24) But Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God to those people God has called—Jews and Greeks.
25) Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26) Brothers and sisters, look at what you were when God called you. Not many of you were wise in the way the world judges wisdom. Not many of you had great influence. Not many of you came from important families.
27) But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and he chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28) He chose what the world thinks is unimportant and what the world looks down on and thinks is nothing in order to destroy what the world thinks is important.
29) God did this so that no one can brag in his presence.
30) Because of God you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God. In Christ we are put right with God, and have been made holy, and have been set free from sin.
31) So, as the Scripture says, "If people want to brag, they should brag only about the Lord."
15) So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely.
16) Use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times.
17) So do not be foolish but learn what the Lord wants you to do.
18) Do not be drunk with wine, which will ruin you, but be filled with the Spirit.
19) Speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord.
20) Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.